Hunter ventures onto thin ice to rescue stranded deer

Hunter ventures onto thin ice to rescue stranded deer

A Pennsylvania hunter is credited with the rescue last weekend of a deer that had become stranded atop a frozen lake, unable to gain traction on thin ice.

“I wouldn’t want to see the deer suffer,” Davis told WSFA 12 News. “I am a hunter. There’s a giant difference between an animal being harvested humanely and one being left out to die on the frozen ice.”

The accompanying footage shows the 8-point buck floundering on the ice at Greeley Lake, resting between failed attempts to stand and walk, until Davis comes into the picture at the 2:05 mark.

Davis used a pole to propel his aluminum boat about 100 yards onto the lake, toward the deer. He stood in the boat to better distribute his weight atop the thin ice, and to remain safe in case the ice broke.

“Even with the boat distributing my weight, the boat was still cracking the ice up,” Davis said.

Ed Schmalzle, on shore, manned a rope tied to the boat. Jeffrey Sidle captured the rescue on video and in photos.

As viewers can see, Davis was able to get a rope around the deer’s antlers and pull the animal to the boat. He held onto the deer while the boat was pulled to shore.

Sidle, in a Facebook post, stated that the deer was exhausted but eventually ran into nearby blueberry bushes. The animal did not appear to be injured.

A Pennsylvania hunter is credited with the rescue last weekend of a deer that had become stranded atop a frozen lake, unable to gain (…)

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